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I planned on the only motor I would be able to find would have close to 300k miles. Planned on a 100% rebuild of everything.
But now that I found a 7.3 with 82k original miles. It doesn't feel right to tear the engine apart with that few of miles.
What would you do if you were building an engine for reliability for low hp, less than 400hp.
Just replace all seals and o'rings and slap the engine in. Or go completely through it like originally planned?
Is this the engine that was in a county / municipal truck? Do you know what the truck was used for?
Concern is that a lot of work vehicles may have low miles but lots of idle hours. I'm not an engine builder but my understanding is that lots of idling is not good for the engine.
Since it's already out of the vehicle you May still want to tear it down and make sure the cylinder walls are good.
I'm no mechanic but I've turned my own wrenches my whole life including engine replacements and rebuilds. If it was me I'd scope the cylinders, run a compression test if possible and drop the pan and inspect the bottom end and if all that comes out good then run it. As long as it was properly maintained that's hardly broken in. Lack of proper maintenance though will make an engine with those miles hit or miss. That's a great find if it was taken care of.
Now if you are planning any kind of performance upgrades then strip it and rebuild no question.
I planned on the only motor I would be able to find would have close to 300k miles. Planned on a 100% rebuild of everything.
But now that I found a 7.3 with 82k original miles. It doesn't feel right to tear the engine apart with that few of miles.
What would you do if you were building an engine for reliability for low hp, less than 400hp.
Just replace all seals and o'rings and slap the engine in. Or go completely through it like originally planned?
There are plenty of original low mile engines laying around. Unless you are building some sort of ultra high power sled-puller or drag racer there is no need to do all that. Is that a complete truck that runs and drives with the 82k on it or is it a junker you're looking to buy for the donor motor?
I'm no mechanic but I've turned my own wrenches my whole life including engine replacements and rebuilds. If it was me I'd scope the cylinders, run a compression test if possible and drop the pan and inspect the bottom end and if all that comes out good then run it. As long as it was properly maintained that's hardly broken in. Lack of proper maintenance though will make an engine with those miles hit or miss. That's a great find if it was taken care of.
Now if you are planning any kind of performance upgrades then strip it and rebuild no question.
Sounds like you're a little bit of a mechanic lol. People who really aren't mechanics wont even touch a brake caliper let alone pull an engine out of a car.
I replaced mine with a 72K engine out of a municipal truck. Maybe I should have done more but I cleaned her up and put new seals on the HPOP lines, injectors, swapped in my billet plenum and ran with it. Been good so far. I would hate to break seals an an engine that are still good. If anything thinking back I wish I would have replaced the oil pan gasket and dipstick flange.
Drop the pan, from there you can see the cylinder walls, connecting rods, wrist pins' fair bit of cam shaft, and find any sludge or metal flakes in the pan itself. This shoul give you a pretty good idea of it's condition with the least amount of intrusion. You'll want to do the dip stick adapter and pick up tube sealing anyway. I'd suggest doing the oil cooler and water pump while it's out too. That age with so few miles likely means it's done a lot of sitting, and depending how it's been stored little things like that can corrode and/or plug up.
Is this the engine that was in a county / municipal truck? Do you know what the truck was used for?
Concern is that a lot of work vehicles may have low miles but lots of idle hours. I'm not an engine builder but my understanding is that lots of idling is not good for the engine.
Since it's already out of the vehicle you May still want to tear it down and make sure the cylinder walls are good.
Yes, that's the engine. The guy said the truck had a dump box on it. In the winter it was used to spread salt. They sold the truck because there wasn't a body left, it rusted away.
I'll check it out real good and decide what I'm going to do.
I would not pull the oil pan unless there is a big reason. It is sealed at the factory with a specific process to ensure longevity. Do not mess with it unless you must. A good rust proofing on the pan is a good idea.
A simple compression test will tell the tale. If that is good everything else can be fixed by you for cheap.
I agree with don’t mess with it. Rebuild oil cooler, replace glow plugs, upgrade injectors if that’s the plan, remove coolant drains on block while it’s out and install with new bellowed up-pipes and fill with ELC when you get it in. If it’s an E99 or older, change the injector cups before installing it in the truck. Rebuild the fuel bowl water drain valve or rebuild the whole filter assembly and use the upgraded ‘blue’ o-rings. I would strongly consider replacing the exhaust manifolds because it’s 10000% easier with engine out. Also consider upgrading the fuel and HPO lines on the engine. The fuel lines rust and get holes rubbed in them at the clamps.
Do not compression test it or scope the cylinders, but do paint that rusty SOB!!
